How Does the Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index Work?

What is the Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index?

The Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index surveys small-business owners throughout the U.S. The Small Business Index consists of small-business owners' ratings of their business' current situation and their expectations for the next 12 months. Gallup measures these ratings by asking small-business owners about their overall financial situation, revenue, cash flow, capital spending, number of jobs, and ease of obtaining credit.

Gallup calculates the overall Small Business Index using a formula that scores and adds small-business owners' answers to 12 questions: six about their business' present situation and six about their future situation. An index score of zero indicates that small-business owners, as a group, are neutral -- neither optimistic nor pessimistic -- about their business' situation. The overall index could potentially range from -400 (the most negative score possible) to +400 (the most positive score possible), but actually spans a much more limited range.

How are interviews conducted for the Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index?

Gallup interviews U.S. small-business owners by telephone using sample compiled by Dun & Bradstreet among small-business owners with between $50,000 and $20 million in sales or revenue.

How many people are interviewed as part of theWells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index?

Gallup interviews approximately 600 small-business owners in each Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index survey.

How often aretheWells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index interviews conducted?

Gallup has been interviewing small-business owners on a quarterly basis as part of the Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index since 2003.

AretheWells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Indexsamples weighted?

Yes, Gallup weights samples to be representative of U.S. small businesses within this size range nationwide that earn between $50,000 and $20 million in sales or revenue. Gallup weights samples to size and region targets that Dun & Bradstreet provide.

Where can I find results fromtheWells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index and learn more about the survey?

Gallup reports findings from the Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index on Gallup.com. Sign up for Gallup News alerts to get these articles as soon as they are published.